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First Substitute S.B. 44


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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-23-2012 kh/aos
This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 3:24 PM by khelgesen. -->
Senator Luz Robles proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
GI BILL TUITION GAP COVERAGE

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Robles

             5     
House Sponsor: Val L. Peterson

             6     

             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill provides grants to qualifying military veterans who have maximized certain
             10      federal benefits.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    creates the GI Bill Tuition Gap Program, which provides recipients of the federal
             14      Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits with additional grants to complete S. [ an associate's or ] a .S
             15      bachelor's degree at certain institutions of higher education when federal benefits
             16      have been maximized;
             17          .    defines terms;
             18          .    directs the State Board of Regents to
             19              .    develop policies to implement and administer the program, within statutory
             20      guidelines; and
             21              .    distribute the program money to institutions of higher education; and
             22          .     establishes time limits that qualified military veterans may receive program grants.
             23      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          This bill appropriates:
             25          .    to the State Board of Regents - Student Assistance, as an ongoing appropriation:



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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-23-2012 kh/aos
             26
             .    from the General Fund, $250,000, which is nonlapsing for fiscal year 2012-13.
             27      Other Special Clauses:
             28          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2012.
             29      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             30      ENACTS:
             31          53B-13b-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             32          53B-13b-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33          53B-13b-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34          53B-13b-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35     

             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 53B-13b-101 is enacted to read:
             38     
CHAPTER 13b. GI BILL TUITION GAP PROGRAM ACT

             39          53B-13b-101. Title.
             40          This chapter is known as the "GI Bill Tuition Gap Program Act."
             41          Section 2. Section 53B-13b-102 is enacted to read:
             42          53B-13b-102. Definitions.
             43          As used in this chapter:
             44          (1) "Federal program" means the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
             45      2008, Pub. L. No. 110-252.
             46          (2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a:
             47          (a) credit-granting higher education institution within the state system of higher
             48      education; or
             49          (b) private, nonprofit college or university in the state that is accredited by the
             50      Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.
             51          (3) "Program" means the GI Bill Tuition Gap Program created in this chapter.
             52          (4) (a) "Qualifying military veteran" means an individual who:
             53          (i) is a resident student under Section 53B-8-102 and rules of the board;
             54          (ii) is accepted into an institution with a program leading to S. [ an associate's degree or ]
             54a      .S a
             55      bachelor's degree;
             56          (iii) has qualified for the federal program;



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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-23-2012 kh/aos
             57
         (iv) has maximized the federal benefit under the federal program; and
             58          (v) has not completed S. [ an associate's degree or ] .S a bachelor's degree.
             59          (b) "Qualifying military veteran" does not include a family member.
             60          Section 3. Section 53B-13b-103 is enacted to read:
             61          53B-13b-103. Establishment of the GI Bill Tuition Gap Program.
             62          There is established a GI Bill Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military veterans
             63      with tuition assistance at institutions of higher education when federal benefits under the
             64      federal program are no longer available and a qualifying military veteran has not finished S. [ an
             65      associate's or
] .S
a bachelor's degree.
             66          Section 4. Section 53B-13b-104 is enacted to read:
             67          53B-13b-104. Guidelines for administration of the program.
             68          (1) The board shall use the guidelines in this section to develop policies to implement
             69      and administer the program.
             70          (2) (a) The board shall allocate money appropriated for the program to institutions to
             71      provide grants for qualifying military veterans.
             72          (b) The board may not use program money for administrative costs or overhead.
             73          (c) An institution may not use more an 3% of its program money for administrative
             74      costs or overhead.
             75          (d) Money returned to the board under Subsection (3)(b) shall be used for future
             76      allocations to institutions.
             77          (3) (a) An institution shall award a program grant to a qualifying military veteran on an
             78      annual basis but distribute the money one quarter or semester at a time, with continuing awards
             79      contingent upon the qualifying military veteran maintaining satisfactory academic progress as
             80      defined by the institution in published policies or rules.
             81          (b) At the conclusion of the academic year, money distributed to an institution that was
             82      not awarded to a qualifying military veteran or used for allowed administrative purposes shall
             83      be returned to the board.
             84          (4) A qualifying military veteran may receive a program grant until the earlier of the
             85      following occurs:
             86          (a) the qualifying military veteran completes the requirements for S. [ an associate's or ]
             86a      a .S
             87      bachelor's degree; or



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             88
         (b) 12 months from the time when the qualifying military veteran receives an initial
             89      program grant.
             90          (5) A qualifying military veteran who receives a program grant may only use the grant
             91      toward tuition S. leading to a bachelor's degree .S at an institution of higher education in the
             91a      state.
             92          (6) The board may accept grants, gifts, bequests, and devises of real and personal
             93      property from any source for the purpose of awarding grants to qualifying military veterans in
             94      addition to those funded by the state.
             95          Section 5. Appropriation.
             96          Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
             97      following sums of money are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or
             98      reduced from amounts previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated for the
             99      fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2013. These are additions to any
             100      amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2013.
             101          To State Board of Regents - Student Assistance
             102              From General Fund                            $250,000
             103              Schedule of Programs:
             104                   GI Bill Tuition Gap Program        $250,000
             105          The Legislature intends that, under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, appropriations
             106      under this section not lapse at the close of fiscal year 2013, the use of any non-lapsing funds is
             107      limited to the GI Bill Tuition Gap Program.
             108          Section 6. Effective date.
             109          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2012.


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